Macklemore Announces Controversial Tour to Fund Palestinian-Linked Groups
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Rapper Macklemore plans a European tour, directing proceeds to organizations tied to Palestinian causes, with tickets available later this month.
After being dropped from a recent tour, Macklemore has announced a new series of concerts in Dublin, Paris, and London, with the stated aim of raising money for charities that claim to support Palestinian communities. Ticket sales will begin on September 30, and more dates and supporting acts are expected to be announced. Proceeds are set to go to twelve organizations, including Anera, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Jewish Voice for Peace, and UNRWA USA, some of which have been criticized for their political activism and controversial stances on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” Macklemore said in a statement that reflects the increasingly politicized role of celebrities. “Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it,” he added, echoing rhetoric often used by anti-Israel activists. The tour will include performances on October 25 in Dublin’s 3Arena, October 29 at Paris’s Accor Arena, and October 30 at London’s OVO Arena Wembley. Details on U.S. stops and additional performers will be released in the coming weeks.